Bamfield Still Cut Off Two Months After Wildfire
Two months after the Mount Underwood wildfire tore through Vancouver Island’s west coast, the remote community of Bamfield remains largely cut off from the rest of British Columbia.
The Bamfield Main Road, which connects Bamfield, Anacla, and nearby areas to Port Alberni, has been closed since August 11. The road serves as the main route for residents to reach doctors, pharmacies, and grocery stores.
Although the wildfire has long been extinguished and power has been restored, the road closure continues, forcing residents to rely on a rugged four-hour detour through logging roads toward Cowichan Lake and Duncan before looping north to Port Alberni.
Local resident Sherry Harrison said a group of about 30 people visited the closure site earlier this month to see the damage firsthand — only to find the road itself clear. “We thought we’d see trees or rocks blocking it, but it was completely open,” she said.
Many residents have questioned why they can’t use a nearby Mosaic Forest Management logging road that bypasses the closure. But Mosaic says the route is unsafe for public use, citing the risks of industrial traffic, steep grades, and narrow single-lane sections.
For Harrison and others, the explanation isn’t enough. “Our lives are in Port Alberni — our doctors, our families, our pharmacies,” she said. “It’s a 14-hour round trip now. That’s not safe.”
According to the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, more than 1,000 fire-damaged trees must be removed before reopening the route. The hillside damage is not visible from the road, but the ministry says falling trees and debris still pose serious hazards.
“Crews are working daily to assess and remove danger trees. The work is complex and unpredictable due to fire damage,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that unauthorized entry to the area has delayed progress.
Outside the damaged zone, workers are installing new gates and a weather station to allow future closures if risks reappear.
Local businesses are also suffering. Harrison described Bamfield as a “ghost town,” with restaurants and water taxis shutting down amid disappearing tourist traffic.
Regional director Bob Beckett said he understands residents’ frustration. “It’s making life extremely difficult for our community,” he said. “Everyone is working hard to reopen it, but we ask for patience.”
The Ministry of Transportation expects the Bamfield Main Road to reopen by October 24.
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